GetMeThere.co.uk, a joint venture between Toyota GB and IS Solutions Plc., today sees the launch of TARA Mobile SatNav the first Pay-as-you-go Satellite Navigation solution for mobile and smart phone users in the UK. It is no longer necessary to purchase expensive hardware or annual licences for your Satellite Navigation system, use TARA Mobile SatNav with a compatible mobile phone and a GPS receiver for an affordable solution.

TARA Mobile SatNav has many features that previously could only be found on expensive, factory or dealer fitted On-board navigation systems. TARA Mobile SatNav’s features include;
– Full turn by turn navigation
– Maps that automatically zoom in and out as a junction approaches
– Voice commands spoken by TARA
– Hands free use whilst driving
– Continue the navigation when you leave the car
– Pay-as-you-go
– Traffic avoidance
– European road network coverage
– Up to date maps
– Nearest POI (Point of Interest)
– Full address search, house number and street
– 7 Digit Post Codes, i.e. TW16 7EF

TARA Mobile SatNav charges £1.50 to the mobile phone bill for each destination, allowing the user to update their route as many times as they wish to check the traffic conditions or to re-calculate the journey if they veered off course. Those motorists who choose to take an alternative route rather than following TARA’s detailed voice instructions, can also be re-routed back on course, all for the same one off charge, per destination, of £1.50.

Jon West, Director of GetMeThere.co.uk said “With over 4.5m navigation systems expected to be sold this year across Europe, TARA Mobile SatNav has arrived just in time to provide a low cost, quality solution for the intelligent motorist. With GPS devices now available around the £50 mark, SatNav has become a must have for all motorists”.

TARA which stands for Traffic Avoidance and Routing Application, is an Off-board navigation solution, where all route calculation and traffic avoidance is done remotely, saving valuable time and processing power and ensuring that the user has access to the latest maps and traffic information before and during their journey. The data is then automatically downloaded onto the mobile via GPRS and off they go.

TARA mobile SatNav is available as a free download from GetMeThere.co.uk either directly to the mobile or via a computer and then synchronised to the mobile. Most mobiles are compatible, with a full list being available from GetMeThere.co.uk, the list includes popular Nokia models such as 3650, 3660, 6260, 6600, 6670, and 7610, the Siemens SX1, T-Mobile’s MDA II and Compact, together with O2’s XDA II range.

GetMeThere.co.uk
GetMeThere.co.uk developed a number of services essential for the intelligent motorist, based around route planning, traffic and mapping. These services are split into Free to use tools and Pay as you go tools as detailed below:.
The free to use tools include:

Route Planning – A journey-planning tool supplying the user with comprehensive printable step-by-step driving directions for any route in the UK and Europe. A simple form requests start location, optional waypoint (i.e. service stations) and destination postcodes or full addresses, providing the following routing options:

The user is quickly presented with a scalable route map complete with turn-by-turn directions and elapsed time and distance indicators. There is also an option to zoom in on each junction and display traffic conditions and relevant POI’s (points of interest) such as petrol stations on the route.

Situations include road or junction closures, traffic jams and delays, incidents such as accidents, traffic lights or railway crossings and warnings of lane closures, roadworks or car fires.

Street Maps – A street level map making tool allowing the user to create a custom map of a postcode, town or full address with overlays displaying key points of interest (POI’s) including - hotels, restaurants, airports, parking and hospitals for locations across the UK and Europe.

Location Manager – Users can save time when using Route Planning by storing details of all previously located addresses such as their home and office or any other European destination in the Location Manager.

Pay-per-use tools include:

118 627 or 118 MAP - Users can dial 118 627 from ANY PHONE at ANY TIME, to receive up-to-the second Traffic, Weather, Tube and Directory Enquiries information wherever they are. 118 627 is the cheapest, cross-network, short-number Traffic Information service available in the UK and it doesn’t even have a difficult to remember number – just remember 118 plus 627 spells MAP on a telephone keypad, hence 118 MAP

Business Maps – Without large setup or annual fees, this Pay as you go mapping service helps you create a customised interactive map for your business or personal website in 4 quick and easy steps. Displayed on your web site, Business Maps offers your customers an exact location, with a street, town or regional level view in addition to door-to-door route planning.

FindMobile - Ever wondered if your children, partner or employees REALLY are where they say they are? Or lost your mobile phone and just can't remember where you left it? Now you can find out! GetMeThere.co.uk enables registered users to identify the location of consenting mobile phone users and display their position on a map.

Mobile Phone Services – GetMeThere.co.uk locates the position of your mobile phone and then supplies the following services;
MobileTraffic – Just text “TRAFFIC” to shortcode 82085 and GetMeThere.co.uk will send you a map, via WAP push, showing current traffic conditions in the area you are located.
MobileLost – Just text “LOST” to shortcode 82085 and GetMeThere.co.uk will send you a map, via WAP push, showing the area you are located.

IS Solutions Plc

IS Solutions provides a range of Internet design, website development and systems support services to public and private sector clients. IS Solutions is focused on the delivery of measurable benefits to client organisations including:

IS Solutions’ client list includes Toshiba, the London Stock Exchange, Toyota, GetMeThere.co.uk, Accord, Channel 4, Oracle, The Children’s Trust, Torfaen County Borough Council and Rhondda Cynon Taff. Our core objective is to be chosen as a trusted delivery partner by our clients and we are proud of the many long-term relationships that exist within our client portfolio.